Authorities across Kitsap County are urgently searching for 21-year-old Hannah Marie Davis, a dependent adult on the autism spectrum who investigators say was allegedly lured away from her Bremerton home. Davis, whom officials describe as having the mental capacity of a 10-year-old, was last seen Saturday around 11 p.m. in the 8100 block of Stirrup Court NW. Detectives say she left with 21-year-old Leroy Franklin Nickols, triggering an endangered-person alert across the region.
What law enforcement says
The Washington State Patrol issued an Endangered Missing Person Advisory on behalf of the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office and asked the public to watch for both Davis and Nickols, according to KING 5. The sheriff's office says Davis is unable to safely return home on her own and believes she had online contact with Nickols before leaving. Investigators say there is still no confirmed information about a vehicle and urge anyone with possible information or sightings to call 911 right away.
Suspect's background
Kitsap County deputies identified the man believed to be with Davis as 21-year-old Leroy Franklin Nickols, a registered sex offender with a 2022 conviction for second-degree rape, per KIRO 7. Family members told investigators that Nickols knows Davis is a dependent adult yet has refused to reveal where they are or bring her to safety. Deputies say he is believed to be transient in Thurston and Lewis counties. Given Davis’s vulnerability, the sheriff's office is handling the case as an endangered-person search.
How the public can help
The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone who thinks they spot Davis and Nickols not to approach them and instead call 911 immediately. Officials say tips, including photos, can be valuable to investigators, as reflected in the sheriff's public posts and local news coverage. Hoodline's earlier reporting directs readers to the sheriff's briefing and to the image authorities released to help the public identify the pair.
Legal context
Under Washington law, rape in the second degree includes sexual intercourse with a victim who is mentally incapacitated or has a developmental disability, and it is classified as a class A felony under RCW 9A.44.050. That statute is part of why deputies flagged this situation as an endangered-person case after learning of Nickols' 2022 conviction, according to KIRO 7.
What remains unknown
Detectives say they still do not have confirmed information on any vehicle that might be involved and are continuing to piece together the online contact that preceded Davis leaving home. The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office says the search is ongoing and is again asking anyone with information to call 911. Local coverage and the state advisory outline additional details on how to submit tips.
